Soft-metal alloy and method of making same.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. RICE, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO HIMSELF AND ONE-HALF T0 PETER S. BRAUGHER, 0F READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

SOFT-METAL ALLOY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. RICE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Soft-Metal Alloys and Methods of Malnng Same, of which the following is a true and exact description.

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved alloy suitable for use as a soft metal bearing metal.

The distinguishing characteristic of my invention is the presence in the improved alloy of a sodium content secured by adding caustic soda to the other constituents of the alloy before melting, or While in a molten condition. The addition of the caustic soda to the ordinary constituents of a soft bearing metal appears to harden and toughen the resultant product, to insure better lubrication with ordinary lubricants, and to reduce the liability of the bearings to fail from overheating.

An important practical advantage of the invention when used in connection with the common type of soft bearing metal comprising as its principal constituents, lead, tin and antimony, is that its use permits of the formation of a satisfactory bearing metal containing less of the relatively expensive hardening and toughening tin and antimony constituents, and more of the less expensive lead constituent than would otherwise be required. The addition of the sodium content to the bearing metal not only hardens and toughens the latter, but makes it somewhat hygroscopic in character, and this in itself seems to improve the character of the lubrication obtained with oil or other ordinary lubricants.

The amount of the sodium content, and the character of the other bearing metal constituents employed may vary widely, but without loss of the characteristic advantages had from the use of the caustic soda. One example of an alloy formed in accordance with the present invention and which has given excellent results in practice when used in bearings for railway car journals, is an alloy formed from lead, tin,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918q Application filed June 27, 1916. Serial No. 106,084.

antimony and caustic soda in the following proportions:

The constituents mentioned may be mixed together before melting, but advantageously I form a molten mixture of tin and antimony and add thereto a portion of the caustic soda to be used, and then add the product thus obtained to molten lead, and add to the last mentioned mixture the remainder of the caustic soda to be used. Advantageously a small amount of copper sulfate, sa from one-quarter to one part may be a ded to act asa flux in efiecting an efficient mixture.

It is my belief that in the resultant product, the sodium is present as metallic sodium held in a solidified solution of lead, antimony and tin, but Whether or not I am right in this there is no question as to the practical improvement in soft bearing metals had by the use of the present invention.

It is to be understood that my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to soft bearing metal alloys of the particular composition or constituents hereinbefore mentioned. For example, it may well be used with a bearing metal alloy containing zinc as well as tin and antimony in addition to the lead constituent.

Havin now described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An alloy consisting of lead, tin, antimony and sodium.

2. An alloy formed by solidifying a molten mixture of lead, tin, antimony and caustic soda.

3. The method of forming a soft metal alloy which consists in adding caustic soda to a molten mixtureof tin and antimony, and then effecting a molten mixture of the product with lead and adding caustic soda thereto.

WILLIAM L. RICE.

Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

